Sébastien Lecornu, French Minister of the Armed Forces, and Guido Crosetto, Italian Defense Minister, spoke by phone on Monday, February 6, 2023. Their conversation focused mainly on the military support provided by both countries to Ukraine and was a continuation of the visit of Sébastien Lecornu to Rome, invited by Guido Crosetto.To obtain the most accurate and up-to-date information on any finalized talks or agreements between France, Italy, and Ukraine regarding the delivery of SAMP/T-MAMBA air defense systems, I recommend referring to official statements from the respective governments, defense industry sources, or reputable news outlets that cover defense and international affairs. These sources will provide the latest information on defense cooperation and arms sales agreements.
During this exchange, the two ministers finalized technical discussions led by France and Italy to deliver the SAMP/T – MAMBA* anti-aircraft defense system to Ukraine in spring 2023.
It is the first European long-range anti-missile system designed jointly by France and Italy. It will allow Ukraine to defend against attacks by Russian drones, missiles, and planes and cover a substantial part of Ukrainian territory.
The supply of this system responds to the urgency expressed by Oleksii Reznikov, Ukrainian Defense Minister, to his French and Italian counterparts to protect the civilian population and infrastructures against Russian attacks from the air.
The acquisition by Ukraine on Wednesday, February 1, of a Thales GM200 radar, financed by France within the framework of its support fund of 200 million euros, will reinforce the effectiveness of the SAMP/T – MAMBA system, which Paris and Rome will deliver jointly.
MBDA and Thales are also fully mobilized to meet the delivery deadlines for this material.
The delivery of this system complements the support already provided by France and Italy in air defense and other segments. The ministers also reaffirmed their determination to support Ukraine in defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity against Russian aggression.
